Retreat from Sievierodonetsk for regrouping will not be a tragedy - Danilov

06.06.2022 23:37

Ukrinform

In Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk, where fierce fighting is ongoing, the enemy has an advantage in artillery. Ukrainian units may retreat from Sievierodonetsk and other towns in the region to regroup, and this will not be a tragedy.

Secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council Oleksiy Danilov said this in an interview with the Financial Times.

"In Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk, there is an advantage of the enemy in artillery. […] They pound there, pound and pound. […] Unfortunately, we cannot now adequately respond in the same way, given that the weapons that we sorely need are lacking today," Danilov said.

According to him, Ukrainian forces could make a further retreat from Sievierodonetsk and other towns in the region while they regroup.

"The temporary loss of territories is not a tragedy. The tragedy will be the loss of the country," Danilov said.

He also said he was confident the western weapons needed to launch a counter attack "will definitely arrive," adding he was "more than confident that we will regain our territories."

Danilov said a drawn-out war to drive out Russia's invading army could only succeed if western countries accelerated supplies of advanced weapons.

"Many factories and enterprises have stopped their production processes and cycles due to the fact that the Russian Federation today occupies about 20 per cent of our territory," Danilov said, saying Ukraine's only option was to outlast Russia.